This invention relates to infant jumper devices, and more particularly to jumper devices for infants not yet fully capable of standing and walking without assistance.
It is well known to provide infant jumper devices which elastically support an infant in a seat to permit the infant's feet to contact the floor or other surface. Such devices are adapted to permit the infant to bounce up and down and to cause the seat to rotate and to move along a horizontally extending traverse rod, providing exercise and limited mobility to the infant.
Such devices are exemplified by the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 58,510 to J. P. Thompson; 692,505 to J. H. Crutchfield; and 1,297,800 to H. L Cranford.
The patent to Thompson shows a jumper supported from, and movable along, a horizontal rail suspended from a ceiling. The patent to Crutchfield shows a jumper device supported from, and movable along, a swingable horizontal arm. The arm is affixed to the side of a house. The patent to Cranford shows a jumper supported from, and movable along, a horizontal arm which is pivotable about a central support member. The central support member is affixed to the ceiling and floor of a room.
A limiting factor of all such prior art devices is that the devices are not free standing and self-supporting. They must be affixed to, or supported by a permanent structure such as a wall of ceiling. Accordingly, such prior art devices are not portable or capable of being readily moved from one location to another. Such portability is important because it permits the infant remain in the company of a parent at various locations, while the parent performs household tasks. Furthermore, such prior art devices are not capable of being collapsed, or disassembled, into smaller sections of assembly and use at locations completely away from permanent support structures.
There is need, therefore, for an infant jumper which is free standing and self supporting, providing mobility to the device. There is also a need for such a device which is collapsible into smaller sections, making it readily transportable.
The device of this invention satisfies the needs of the prior art.
The device of this invention satisfies the needs of the prior art.